Asa Evans Stratton (February 10, 1853 – August 14, 1925) was an American newspaper editor, lawyer, and baseball player who played one game for the Worcester Ruby Legs in 1881.

Early life

Stratton was born on February 10, 1853, in Grafton, Massachusetts, to Cyrus W. Stratton and Eliza A. (Bosworth) Stratton.

Baseball

Stratton attended

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

, where he played on the school's baseball team and was managing editor of the school newspaper, ''Libre Braunensis''. He graduated in 1873 and went on to attend the

Boston University School of Law Boston University School of Law (Boston Law or BU Law) is the law school of Boston University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top law schools in the United States and considered an eli ...

and play semipro baseball for a number of teams including Live Oak and the Rolestone nine in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. On June 17, 1881, Stratton appeared in a game at shortstop for the Worcester Ruby Legs. In that game, he had one hit in four

at bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

s. He was the first Brown alumnus to play in the majors.

Newspaper editor

Outside of baseball, Stratton practiced law in Worcester and Fitchburg. In 1885 he ended his practice when he became the proprietor of ''

The Gardner News ''The Gardner News'' is a daily newspaper serving seven cities and towns in northwest Worcester County, Massachusetts. In addition to the city of Gardner, where it is headquartered, it also covers the rural towns of Ashburnham, Hubbardston, Ph ...

''. From 1895 to 1902 he was the editor of the ''Fitchburg Morning Sun''. From 1905 to 1925 he worked for '' Fitchburg Sentinel'' as city editor (1905 to 1918) and editorial writer (1918 to 1925). He was also a well known music critic.

Personal life

On April 10, 1878, Stratton married Ada F. Bigelow. They had one child, Helen Florence Stratton. Stratton resided in Fitchburg for 47 years and was a member of the city's Library Board of Trustees.

Death

Stratton died in his home at 80 Highland Ave. in Fitchburg on August 14, 1925. The cause of death was listed as "shock". He is interred at Riverside Cemetery in Grafton.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stratton, Asa 1853 births 1925 deaths 19th-century baseball players American music critics American newspaper people Baseball players from Worcester County, Massachusetts Boston University School of Law alumni Brown Bears baseball players Major League Baseball shortstops Massachusetts lawyers Baseball players from Fitchburg, Massachusetts People from Grafton, Massachusetts Worcester Ruby Legs players 19th-century American lawyers Major League Baseball players with one career hit Burials in Massachusetts